NOURISHING BUDDHA BOWL WITH CRISPY TOFU AND RAINBOW VEGETABLES

A staple in our house for over a year now – nourishing Buddha bowl with all the colors of the rainbow. Although I hardly ever follow a recipe when assembling a Buddha bowl, I do want to make sure I have enough vegetables, grains, proteins, and healthy fats in my bowl. I wrote more about Buddha bowls and why they are the perfect vegan meal in Vegan Basics part 2. Here I’ll share the recipe for this colorful and nourishing Buddha bowl with crispy tofu and rainbow vegetables.

I created one of our favorite sources of protein for the bowl: crispy marinated tofu. These well-seasoned thin slices of organic tofu are perfect in a bowl like this – together with marinated mushrooms they provide a lovely umami taste to the meal. Umami is a “meaty” flavor which is found in some plant-based foods: mushrooms, tomatoes (dried and as a paste is best for a deep umami), soy/tamari sauce, miso paste and nutritional yeast to name a few.

Also the spicy chickpeas are an irresistible source of protein. I usually buy cooked ones and roast them in the oven with some paprika and a sprinkle of salt. Sometimes for an extra spicy boost I add some garam masala. Simple and tasty! Usually at least one element in our Buddha bowls is leftover from previous day’s dinner. For this bowl I used leftover rice and quinoa, which I pimped up in my usual way 😉 Both the rice and quinoa are mushy but firm enough to be shaped into cute hearts and stars.

It’s taken a lot of hours in the kitchen to come up with plant-based meals that my whole family enjoys. Bowls are a simple way to introduce plant-based meals to your family, simply because you can modify the content to everyone’s liking. I wrote some tips on how to get picky eaters enjoy more plant food in Vegan Basics part 2. And here’s a little summary on how my family of four would eat the above pictured bowl.

Buddha bowls at the Berry house. We have a similar base of leafy greens and grains for everyone, but the other parts are totally adjustable.

My son 2,5 yrs isn’t a fan of spicy chickpeas (he prefers them in a creamy pasta sauce), so I won’t choose them for his bowl, but I will add a bit more tofu. He prefers his greens as a green monster smoothie so I’ll reduce the amount of leafy greens or otherwise they’ll end up on our floor.

My daughter 5 yrs hasn’t developed a huge liking for sauerkraut so I just put a little bit on her bowl. We have this amazing rule: she has to taste everything she doesn’t like five times now that she’s five years old.

My hubby eats a lot more tofu and chickpeas (than what is pictured here in my bowl), and he also eats more rice (especially if it’s heart shaped, heh). He also dislikes sauerkraut, but I won’t make him taste it 42 times, so I’ll just leave it out 🙂

My bowl on the other hand is a little short on sauerkraut. I first tasted sauerkraut nearly 20 years ago when my dear sister moved to Munich, and it was love at first bite. Back then I didn’t know how easy it is to make (proof here) nor did I know of its amazing gut healing properties. I have made sauerkraut from scratch many times, but if I don’t have any extra time to spare (because I’d rather make heart and star shaped food 😉 ) I’ll just by a jar from the grocery store (preferably organic).

If you don’t have a lot of experience with plant-based cooking, I warmly recommend you to begin with Buddha bowls. Add whatever you feel like experimenting with: different kinds of vegetables either raw or cooked; crispy tofu, chickpeas/lentils/beans; leftover rice/quinoa/noodles; hummus, guacamole, tahini dressing; nuts and seeds for extra crisp – the choices are endless AND the choice is all yours 🙂

½-1 tsp grated ginger (depending on how strong you want the ginger flavor)

¼ tsp turmeric powder

Black pepper and salt to taste

Rainbow vegetables

A variety of leafy greens: romaine, kale, arugula, spinach (raw)

Bell peppers: red, green, orange, yellow (raw)

Cucumbers (raw)

Radish (raw)

Peas (we thawed frozen peas)

Broccoli (raw, lightly steamed, oven roasted, pan fried)

Fermented foods

½ cup of sauerkraut

Instructions

Preparations, marinade: Whisk tofu and the mushroom marinades in a bowl. Taste and add seasoning, more tamari/soy, more lemon/lime/orange juice or sweetener if needed.

Preparations, tofu: wash the tofu piece and dry it well with a paper towel. Cut into thin slices and put into a large jar (do not fill the jar to the brim, use an another jar if it gets too full). Pour the marinade into the jar, put the lid on and shake well. Let the tofu marinate for at least an hour in the fridge. For best results, leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.

Preparations, mushrooms: wash all the mushrooms and slice them. Put them into a jar (don't fill to the brim), pour marinade over the mushrooms, put the lid on, and shake well. Let marinate for at least an hour in the fridge. For best results, leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.

Oven roasted chickpeas: preheat oven to 180C/~360F.

Put cooked chickpeas into a bowl and mix in the oil and spices. Put onto a baking tin or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook for about 30 min until crispy.

Rice and quinoa hearts and stars: Cook quinoa and rice according to instructions. Mix rice and quinoa and divide into two bowls.

Mix all ingredients for the hearts and shape with a cookie cutter.

Mix all ingredients for the stars and shape with a cookie cutter.

Crispy tofu: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet, and add the marinated tofu slices. Make sure the tofu is in one layer. Cook on one side for ~3 minutes and turn the slices. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until tofu is crispy on both sides. Use leftover marinade as a sauce for the tofu.

Mushrooms: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet, and add mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes stirring every once in a while.

Assembling the Buddha bowl: start with greens and vegetables, and add all the other ingredients.

Enjoy your bowl - preferably mindfully chewing each bite, admiring all the colors and appreciating all the flavors.

Notes

Prep time stated does not include tofu & mushroom marination time 1 hour - 12 hours (for best results) as this is not active prep time.

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Comments

This is probably the most diverse and colorful buddha bowl I’ve ever seen! And all the flavors too: umami, sweet, sour, spice, its got everything. Now I’m sure you can already guess my favorite part, but I’m going to gush anyways: THOSE HEARTS and STARS!!! I’ve been so excited to find out how you did them ever since you posted your buddha bowl 101 post. Just mix and mush into a cookie cutter huh? I gotta try that! Oh man, I love cute food hence I love everything you make. You always add the perfect adorable/decorative touch!

Thank you Natalie 🙂 I was sure you would appreciate my effort to use cookie cutters. I think it’s such a simple way to make food more fun! I think I would do the hearts and stars even without kids. I love cute food, as I know you do too. Have an amazing new week <3